Japan moved a step closer yesterday to sending someone to the moon by successfully launching the biggest lunar mission since the US Apollo flights.

The Selenological and Engineering Explorer probe left its launchpad on Tanegashima island, 600 miles south-west of Tokyo, aboard an H-2A solid-fuel rocket. A live internet broadcast showed the rocket as it headed out over the Pacific before separating from the lunar explorer over Chile about 45 minutes later.

Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency [Jaxa] said the probe's engines and navigation equipment appeared to be working normally. The craft... nicknamed Kaguya after the moon princess in a fairytale, is scheduled to orbit Earth twice before travelling 237,500 miles to the moon, a journey expected to take about three weeks.

Kaguya, which comprises one three-tonne main orbiter and two 50kg (110lb) satellites, will begin its 10-month observation mission in December after checks.

Yesterday's success was greeted with relief by officials, who were forced to delay Kaguya's original launch last month after components were installed incorrectly.

Kaguya's main satellite will go into orbit about 60 miles above the moon's surface while the smaller satellites will be put into polar orbit. The probes will collect data that scientists hope will settle the debate over the moon's origins and evolution. The orbiter will map previously unexplored polar areas.

While Jaxa officials play down talk of a space race with China, the mission is a major step towards the goal of building a manned station on the moon by 2025, and a sign of renewed regional interest in lunar exploration. China is to send its Chang'e-1 probe to the moon this year to construct 3-D images of the moon's surface and analyse its dust. India is expected to launch an unmanned lunar orbiter next year.